Package for flowable materials



June 14, 1966 P. H. HUNTER ET PACKAGE FOR FLOWABLE MATERIALS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 11, 1964 III INVENTORLS PAUL H. HUNTER FREDERICK J. BELDRING ATTORNEY June 14, 1966 P. H. HUNTER ET AL 3,255,932

PACKAGE FOR FLOWABLE MATERIALS 2 Sheets-Sheet :2

Filed Aug. 11, 1964 INVENTORS PAUL H. HUNTER FREDERICK J azuyame ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,255,932 PACKAGE FUR FLQWABLE MATERIALS Paul H. Hunter, New Brunswick, and Frederick J. Beldring, South River, N.J., assignors to Union Carbide Corporation, a corporation of New York Filed Aug. 11, 1954, Ser. No. 388,812 9 Claims. (Cl. 222--183) This invention relates to a low-cost package for liquids and other flowable materials and more particularly to a closeable package suitable for household use.

Because of the problems encountered in handling and sterilizing multiple trip containers for perishable food items such as milk, efforts have been made and continue to \be made to provide single-trip, low-cost containers attractive to the supplier, distributor, retailer, and perhaps most important, the housewife. As the trendaway from home delivery of milk, for example to purchases in supermarkets continues, changes in the type, shape and capacity. of containers have appeared. Glass containers of two quarts or four quarts size do not solve handling and sterilizing problems; wax-coated paper cartons still have a tendency to leak or sag, and rigid plastic containers recently introduced are relatively expensive.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a low cost, closeable container Which is easily disposable.

The present invention provides a package for receiving, storing, and dispensing flowable materials which comprises a reusable relatively rigid outer container and a disposable flexible bag positioned therein and supported thereby. The flexible bag has at least two transverse edges sealed to torm an interiorly substantially sterile bag, the seal of one of the transverse edges terminating in a spout. The wall of the spout is a continua tionof the seal thus forming an integral part of the bag. The spout is engageable with an upper portion of the outer container for closing the spout and, at the same time, providing support for the bag in the container.

In another aspect, the present invention provides a package which comprises an outer container having a lid, the lid being provided with a flanged aperture for egress of the spout.

The flanged aperture may, advantageously have a cap hingeably mounted on the lid of the outer container.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 isa side elevational view of a disposable bag constituting one element of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of a package embodying the invention illustrating the disposable bag of FIG. 1 positioned in an outer container, part being broken away.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary side view in section of the package of FIG. 2 illustrating the sealing engagement of the container and bag.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary plan view of the lid of the outer container body of FIG. 2 illustrating the supporting means for the disposable bag.

FIG. 5 is an elevational view in section taken along 5-5 of FIG. 2 further illustrating the supporting means.

Referring now to the drawing, as shown in FIG. 1, the wall of the disposable bag continues and terminates in a sealed spout 12 forming an integral part of the bag 10 in its upper portion. The spout 12 may have a notch 36 in its seal so that the spout 12 may be easily opened for use. An extension of the wall of the bag 10 is provided at its upper extremity to provide a flattened supporting member 14 which is an integral part of the bag 10 sealed off from the main body of the bag 10 as shown. The supporting member 14 is provided with an aperture 16 through which supporting means may pass and suspend the disposable bag 10 within'the outer container body 30 of FIG. 2. The sup- 3,255,932 Patented J one 14, 1966 porting member 14 may also serve as a handle for carrying the bag 10.

FIG. 2 shows the disposable bag 10 of FIG. 1 positioned in the outer container 30. The outer container 30 is provided with a lid 24 hingeably mounted as shown at 11 to allow the bag 10 to be easily inserted and removed from the container 30. In addition, the lid 24 includes an aperture 15 defined by an upstanding flange 28 and FIG. 4) a slot 32 (FIG. 5), the aperture 15 being adapted to receive thespout 12 of the bag 10. A cap 20 hi'ngeably mounted on the lid 24, as shown at 22, is provided for the first aperture 15. A finger 34 is attached to the lid 24 projecting transversely across the slot 32.

As shown, the bag 10 is placed in the container 30 with the spout 12 projecting through the flanged aperture 15 and the supporting member 14 projecting through the slot 32. To support the bag 10, the finger 34 passes through the aperture 16 in the member 14. Further the cap 2% when closed over the aperture 15 engages the end of the spout 12 and while sealing it against the flange 28 also serves to support the bag 10 within the container 36* The outer container 30 includes a plurality of apertures 26 it reasonable visual measurement of the contents of the 'bag 10 is desired.

These apertures 26 mal be a vertical line of marked apertures if easy inspection of the contents is required. The apertures 26 also serve to reduce the weight of the container and therefore the cost of its manufacture. The container 30 may also include a handle 13 to facilitate pouring the flowable contents from the package 18.

The outer container may be formed from a variety of materials including rigid thermoplastic, paperboard, or thin metal such as aluminum. Depending on the planned life of the package, the outer container material can vary in thickness and weight and design.

It is presently preferred to form the disposable bag by heat sealing polyethylene tubular or flat film stock approximately 5 mils thick, although 1 to 10 mils would be satisfactory. Similarly, other polyolefin films including polyethylene copolymers, polypropylene, copolymers of ethylene and propylene, and mixtures and laminates of such polyolefins may be used, also.

The spouts of the disposable bags such. as the spouts.

described are formed simultaneously with the bags themselves, i.e., the spout is a continuation of the wall of the bag as opposed to being heat sealed to a pre-formed bag. The latter provides a spout easily separable from the bag and is more costly. On the contrary, the present invention describes a spout that is strong enough to resist accidental removal. Furthermore, the direction of extension of the spout from the bag is not critical. Although it is presently preferred that the spout extend somewhat vertically from the bag, horizontal extension for example, would also be effective.

Although it is convenient to support the bag in the manner described, there are other ways of achieving support. It is not essential, for example, that the outer container be provided with a lid. The open outer container may-have a notch in its rim through which the spout of the bag may be inserted thus sealing off the opening in the spout and completely reclosing the bag when the unused contents of the bag is being stored. At the same time, the spout and the bag are supported in the outer container body.

The aforementioned disposable hag therefore, is admirably suited for containing flowable materials and particularly perishable materials, such as milk. If the dis-.

posable bag were to contain milk, the dairy may fill the bag several ways. One way is to form, fill, and seal the bags continuously in one operation from a roll of flat film. Another way is to add the milk, for example, through the spout, and then close the spout as by heat sealing. Another approach is to fill through the bottom transverse edge of the bag. The dairy can easily heat seal that portion of the bag after the filling operation. Thus, the housewife would receive the bagged milk completely protected from foreign matter. In addition, the filled disposable bags are light and easy to handle. Their compactness allows them to be conveniently stored, requiring minimum storage space. They can even be stacked until ready for use. When the housewife wishes to use the milk, she merely places the bag in the outer container, slips the spout and the supporting member through the openings in the lid, and tears the perforated seal of the spout thus providing egress for the contents of the bag. The spout is then tightly rescaled by the cap of the outer container thus keeping the stored contents of the bag free from foreign matter. After the contents of the bag has been exhausted, the bag is easily disposed of.

' Consequently, the dairy need not be concerned with returnable bottles and repurification of the same so as to remove foreign materials that would affect the taste of the milk later put into them. Thus the disposable portion of the proposed package is considerably less expensive to manufacture than the conventional plastic bottle and completely eliminates costly sterilization.

The proposed package may vary in size, including the typical 64-ounce and 32-ounce sizes, their choice depending on requirements.

While the aforementioned package is especially suitable for milk, the disposable bag can also be used for shipping, storing and dispensing other flowable materials including fruit juices, syrups, and other liquids, as well as powdered and granular foods and the like.

What is claimed is:

1. A package for receiving, storing and dispensing flowable materials which package comprises: a relatively rigid outer container and a flexible bag positioned therein and supported thereby; said bag having at least two transverse edges sealed to form an interiorly substantially sterile bag, the seal of one of said transverse edges terminating in a spout, the wall of said spout being an integral part of said bag and formed within said transverse edge; said outer container being provided with means for opening and rec'losing said spout.

2. A package as defined in claim 1 in which said container is provided with a lid having an aperture for egress of said spout.

3. A package as defined in claim 2 in which a cap for said aperture is mounted on said lid.

4. A package for receiving, storing and dispensing flowable materials which package comprises: a relatively rigid flat-bottomed recloseable outer container and a flexible bag terminating in a spout and positioned therein and supported thereby; said outer container having a relatively rigid hinged lid; said lid having a flanged aperture and a slot therein, said flanged aperture having a relatively rigid cap hingeably mounted on said lid; said slot being associated with a finger-like projection mounted on said lid; said bag having at least the two transverse edges sealed to form an interiorly substantially sterile bag, the seal of one of said transverse edges terminating in a spout, the wall of said spout being an integral part of said bag formed within said transverse edge; said spout passing through said flanged aperture and held in engagement therewith by said cap, thereby providing a recloseable seal for said spout; a perforated flattened member being a continuation of said seal of one of said transverse edges of said bag and extending upwards therefrom and integral therewith, said perforated member adapted to protrude through said slot of said lid and cooperate with said finger-like projection suspending said bag therefrom.

5. The outer container of claim 4 wherein said outer container is rigid thermoplastic material.

6. The outer container of claim 4 wherein said outer container comprises a plurality of apertures.

7. The flexible bag of claim 4 wherein the seal of said spout of said bag is perforated.

8. The flexible bag of claim 4 wherein said bag is thermoplastic polymeric material.

9. The flexible bag of claim 8 wherein said bag comprises polyethylene film having a thickness in the range from about 1 to 10 mils.

References Cited by the Examiner LOUIS J. DEMBO, Primary Examiner.

CHARLES R. CARTER, Examiner. 

1. A PACKAGE FOR RECEIVING, STORING AND DISPENSING FLOWABLE MATERIALS WHICH PACKAGE COMPRISES: A RELATIVELY RIGID OUTER CONTAINER AND A FLEXIBLE BAG POSITIONED THEREIN AND SUPPORTED THEREBY; SAID BAG HAVING AT LEAST TWO TRANSVERSE EDGES SEALED TO FROM AN INTERIORLY SUBSTANTIALLY STERILE BAG, THE SEAL OF ONE OF SAID TRANSVERSE EDGES TERMINATING IN A SPOUT, THE WALL OF SAID SPOUT BEING AN INTEGRAL PART OF SAID BAG AND FORMED WITHIN SAID TRANSVERSE EDGE; 